Spaniard Rafael Cabrera-Bello upstaged three of the world’s top four players to lead the Dubai Desert Classic after a blistering opening round of nine-under-par.
The 27-year-old fired seven birdies on the back nine to give him a two-shot lead over the rest of the field, that includes world No. 2 Lee Westwood and No. 3 Rory McIlroy, the 2011 U.S. Open champion.
Germany’s Marcel Siem and Scott Jamieson, from Scotland, are on the heels of Cabrera-Bello on seven-under with a clutch of players including McIlroy and Germany’s Martin Kaymer — world No. 4 — on six-under.
At one stage Cabrera-Bello was on course for a round under 60, a feat that has never been achieved on the European Tour, but the 2009 Dubai champion missed out by four shots.
Full story: Cabrera-Bello upstages stars in Dubai